


Genuine Smiles

by widowshulk



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-03
Updated: 2015-06-03
Packaged: 2018-04-02 16:33:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4066897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/widowshulk/pseuds/widowshulk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ultron is slowly taking over the world, but Natasha is worried that Bruce is working too hard and tells him to take the night off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Genuine Smiles

**Author's Note:**

> This was written before Age of Ultron came out, so there are obviously some differences from the canon because of that.

"So, Banner, huh? Got to admit I did not see that coming." Steve nudged Natasha and handed her a bottle of beer.

"I don't know..." she started.

"Save it, Romanoff. I'm old, I'm not blind. You're different around him."

"Different? I think..."

"Stop making excuses. He's different with you too. You both relax around each other. It's good. You're good. You both deserve this."

"He's not..."

"How many more excuses are you gonna make before you accept this?"

"I don't..."

"Stop."

"No, you stop, Rogers. You think this is the right place to meet someone? This constantly fighting to save the world? It's too dangerous for something, something real. Something fun outside of this group? That's good, healthy even. But we've got bigger things to worry about."

"Do you think anyone out there will ever understand you the way Banner does? You're both all broody and dark, but will fight like Hell to do what's right. You've seen things, you've done things, you've been broken. So has he. He gets it. Don't give me any of your crap, Natasha. You're not even scared of the Hulk."

"He's not a monster."

"And neither are you. You've always got my back, let me have yours on this," Steve said before crossing the room to talk to Bruce.

\--

Tony was saying something about batons and electricity and all sorts of things she should probably care about, but she kept glancing across the room at Steve and Bruce, who were obviously talking about her.

Bruce dipped his head and smiled his sad smile. He even reached his hands up to fiddle with his glasses, then realised he wasn't wearing them and dropped his hands. Steve nodded towards her and she looked away, knowing that Bruce was about to look at her. She couldn't meet his eye. They were behaving like teenagers, having Steve tell a boy that she liked him? It was ridiculous. She was a grown woman, a trained assassin. Why wasn't she over there flirting with him? Because of that old cliché: not wanting to ruin the friendship. Or put a spanner in the works amongst the Avengers.

\--

A few hours later and both Bruce and Natasha had pushed their flirtation to the backs of their minds as the group sat around, teasing Thor about his hammer. Then in came Ultron. In seconds, everyone was standing, facing their enemy. Natasha had instinctively closed in on Bruce, wanting to protect him over the others. She stood closer to him than she should, keeping her eyes forward. 

\--

The next few days were a flurry of organising teams and sending agents all over to try and make a plan to defeat Ultron, so neither of them had any time to think about what Steve had said to them until late one night.

"Working late, doc?" Natasha asked as she came into the lab. She'd seen the light on when she headed to the kitchen for a snack and some tea.

"Is it late?" He checked his watch, 3AM. "Wow, I hadn't realised."

"You should take a break. Come on, let's get some tea."

"I can't, I have to..." he replied, pointing at the monitors in front of him.

"Rest that brilliant mind of yours for half an hour," she said, stretching her arm out to him, offering him her hand

"Fine." 

He sighed and put his hand in hers, their fingers intertwined. They were both a little taken aback by this, but it felt so right that neither of them wanted to let go. Their hands fit together. 

"When was the last time you slept? You're trembling," she said, squeezing his hand.

"I've been living off naps. Too much to do. That's not why I'm..." He stopped when her eyes widened with recognition.

"Doc, you need to sleep." 

They were finally in the kitchen and she let go of his hand, her own suddenly feeling cold and empty. She busied herself with making tea while Bruce headed to the fridge to make them some sandwiches.

"You scared the Other Guy's gonna make an appearance?"

"No, I'm scared you're draining yourself. You're working too hard, it's not healthy. When was the last time you had some fun?"

"I don't have time for fun."

"I'm not talking about a weekend in Vegas, although when this is done..." She winked at him. "I meant, when did you last play a video game, watch a movie, do something for you?" 

Bruce just shook his head.

"How about now? You can afford to take some time and I can't sleep. Let's watch a dumb Hugh Grant movie with some popcorn? How's that sound?"

"Pretty great actually." She'd finally got a genuine smile out of him.

45 minutes later and they were in Tony's TV room, watching Notting Hill, one of Natasha's guilty pleasures. The couch in front of the screen was pretty small, it was designed for him and Pepper, so they were close enough together to feel the other one breathing. Natasha could tell that Bruce's breathing was getting heavier and that it wasn't going to be long before he fell asleep right here, so when his head dropped onto her shoulder and she saw his eyes shut, she wasn't surprised.

Natasha turned the volume right down, not wanting to wake him. Not long after, she felt her eyes drooping. She hadn't been this comfortable in a while, Bruce's body heat and his breathing was more soothing than she could ever have imagined.

\--

"I should meddle more often," Steve whispered to Maria as they stood outside the TV room.

Bruce and Natasha were spooning, fast asleep, on the little couch.

"It'll certainly make girl's night more fun. Not so much talk about Tony."

"Girl's night?" Steve cocked an eyebrow.

"You don't want to know," Maria replied, shaking her head and laughing.

\--

When Bruce woke, it took him a few seconds to realise where he was. Then another few seconds to realise that Natasha was wrapped up in his arms. Then he remembered the whole night.

"Finally, you're awake," Natasha said, standing up to stretch. “I didn't want to wake you. You really needed to sleep."

"How long was I out?" he asked, pulling himself up from the couch.

Natasha checked her watch. "Almost 14 hours."

"What!? No, I have to get-"

"Relax, doc, the world didn't end." Natasha stroked his arm.

"I've got to go." He practically sprinted out of the room.

He stopped as he got to the door.

"Hey, Natasha? Thank you," he said, with another one of his rare, genuine smiles.


End file.
